Electric chronometer with binary readout

ABSTRACT

A chronometer provided with three rows of readout lights which indicate seconds, minutes and hours through binary counting of control pulses from an electronic pulse generating system. For setting the readout for correct time, a series of manual overcontrols are operable in conjunction with a start-stop control for rapid advance of minutes and hours counting. Provided, is a control for &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;dark&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; operation in which the counting mechanism continues to operate without energizing the readout lights.

United States Patent 1 Miller et al.

[451 Aug. 7, 1973 1 ELECTRIC CHRONOMETER WITH BINARY I READOUT [76]Inventors: Arthur D. Miller, 1042 4th St.,

Hermosa Beach, Calif. 90254; Robert V'erbel, 3666 Cardiff Ave., LosAngeles, Calif. 90034 [22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 171,457

[52] U.S. Cl. 58/50 R, 58/127, 235/92 [51] Int. Cl. G04b 19/30 [58]Field of Search 58/2, 23 R, 23 A,

58/134, 35, 50 R, 50 A, 85.5, 126 C; 235/92 T, 92 EA; 340/309.l-309.5

[ 1 I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,617,712 1 11/1971 S0118235/92 EA 3,579,976 5/1971 DMuhala 58/50 R 3,410,082 11/1968 Taylor etal 3,593,515 7/1971 Schockner 58/2 Primary Examiner-Richard B. WilkinsonAssistant Examiner--Edith C. Simmons .lackmon Attorney-Lynn I-I. Latta[57] ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures g wecatoso o I 2 SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION Using digital circuitry, the invention provides a seriesof pulse and light-energizing circuits for counting and indicatingseconds, minutes and hours respectively, the minutes counts beingtriggered by the second counts and the hours counts in turn beingtriggered by the minutes counts. For hours indication, a bank of fourlights having assigned values of l, 2, 4.and 8 respectively, areoperable for binary designation of hours up to 12, (e.g. by addingvalues 1 and 2 to designate hour 3, by adding values 2 and 4 todesignate hour 6, and by adding values 4 and 8 to designate hour 12).For minutes and seconds indication, banks of 6 lights each havingassigned values of 1, 2, 4, 8, l6 and 32 are operably for binarydesignation of seconds and minutes indications from 1 to 60 (e.g. byadding values 4, 8, l6 and 32 to indicate 60). For time-keepingoperation, all counts are triggered by a succesion of pulse intervals ofone second duration, the end of the sixtieth second count triggering aminute count and the end-of the sixtieth minutecount triggering an hourcount. AM and PM indications are triggered by the termination offeach oftwo twelfth hour counts. For setting the time, manual overcontrols areoperable for manual pulsing of minutes counts and hours countsrespectively, directly in the respective minutes and hours circuits. Toavoid interference with the manual setting: operation by thetime-keeping pulsing, a start-stop control is provided. For dark"operation,the light-energizing outputs of the counting circuits can beinactivated by open-circuiting of such outputs while leaving thecounting circuits fully operative.

The general object of the invention is to provide-a chronometer having anovel read-out mechanism for indicating time of day. Specific objectsare to provide a chronometer:

a. that is operated by electric mechanism consisting of integratedelectronic circuits and components such as transistors etc.

b. that accordingly does not require the use of moving mechanical partssuch as shafts, gears, escapement etc.;

c. which can therefore be easily miniaturized for use in watches andsmall clocks;

d. that can be inexpensively manufactured (e.g., by use of printedcircuitry); I

e. that will give time readings in the form of various combinations ofilluminated lights;

f. that can be used as an educational tool for teaching a binary systemof counting as applied to time of day;

g. that willproduce an unusual and stimulating visual display.

These and other objects will become apparent in the followingspecificationsand appended ,drawing s, in which: I FIG. 3 is a circuitdiagram of the operative mecha-. nism;

FIG. 1 is bodying the invention; and 7 FIG. 2 is a view of the backpanel of the same, with manual control buttons therein.

FIG; 4 shows a modified form of the invention DESCRIPTION-GENERALReferring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a view of the faceofa chronometer eni- I therein, as an example of one form in which theinvention may be embodied, a chronometer having an indicator face Aembodied in a panel carrying respective banks of indicator lights H, Mand S indicating elapsed hours, minutes and seconds respectively, sodesignated on the panel. In the seconds and minutes banks there are sixlights each, having the assigned values I, 2, 4, 8, l6 and 32, and thesevalues may be shown by the corresponding numerals imprinted on the panelbelow the respective lights. In the back panel B (FIG. 2) are manualcontrol buttons SS, HA, MAand LO, for starting and stopping thetime-keeping operation, for manual advance of hours and minutes countingand indication, and for dark operation of the time-function withoutenergizing the readout lights. Appropriate legends indicating suchfunctions of the buttons may be printed on the back panel, as shown.

The operating mechanism, shown in block diagram in FIG. 3, comprises a 5volt power supply E, a recirculating one shot oscillator 0C; a series(six) of seconds indicator lights S; a similar series of minutesindicator lights M; a series (four) ofhours indicator lights H; a seriesof six drivers DS for energizing the six indicator lights S; a similarseries of six drivers DM for energizing the minutesindicator lights M; aseries of four drivers DH for energizing the hours indicator lights H; aseconds counter .circuit CS for controlling the seconds drivers DS; amintues counter circuit CM for controlling the minutes drivers DM; anhours counter circuit CH for-controlling the hours drivers DH; an AM/PMperiods counter, driver and indicator light circuit J for operating theindication of AM and PM periods of the day; and a manual control circuitK for setting the time on the clock, cutting out the operation of thelights, etc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION All digital logic ellustrated in FIG. 3 iscomprised of transistor-transistor logic as is used in commerciallyavailable integrated circuits.

Power supply unit E is of conventional circuitry including a transformerl0'and a diode rectifier 11 for converting common household ac currentinto approximately 12 volt pulsating dc output; a voltage-divider unit12 of capacitor and resistor elements delivering voltage at+5 volt andground levels, (as indicated at +5 and G respectively) to the two sidesof an output circuit; and a voltage regulator comprising a Zener diode,transistor capacitor and resistor group 13 across this output circuit,for maintaining 5.5 volts across the voltage divider l2 and formaintaining the transistor in a conducting condition and delivering 5volts of puredirect current as the output at '-l-'5G.

The oscillator 0C is of a type generating a series'of DC pulses of onesecond intervals which are used to advancethe countof a binary counter.The oscillator O is a retn'ggerable monostable multivibrator, itspulsewidth determined by the external timing capacitor and resistor 17. Theoff time of the oscillator is lengthened by the-delay ofand" gates 20and 21. The output is then fed back to the input of'the oscillator toretrigger the multivibrator. v i

The termination of the osicllator pulse isused to advancethe secondcounter CS at one'second intermals. Two fou'r bit binary counters 30'and3 lla're cascaded to produce an eight bitbinary counter having thecapability of counting'from 0 to 255. By taking the outputs of thecounter that are true for the counts of '4, 8, l6

and 32 to the inputs of an and gate 32 gives an output at the binarycount of 60. At the count of 60 the output of and gate 34 causes theseconds counter to be reset to the count of zero and the output of gate33 causes the minutes counter CM to advance by one count.

The seconds drivers DS utilizes a series of integrated circuit driversA1, A2, A4, A 8, A 16 and A 32 which are capable of controlling thecurrent from the indicators. As the outputs of the counters become truethey initiate their repsective drivers whose output then complete acurrent path to ground for the individual indica tors as to illuminatethe readout lights todisplay time by combinations of lights of which thefollowing is illustrative:

1st second light 1;

2nd second light 2;

3rd second light 1&2;

4th second light 4;

5th second light 1 8 4;

6th second light 2 & 4',

7th second light 1, 2 & 4',

8th second light 8;

9th second light 1 & 8;

10th second-- light 2 8t 4;

11th second light 1, 2 & 8;

16th second light 16; 17th second light 1 8t 16; 18 second light 2 & 16;

28th second light 4, 8 and 16;

40th second light 8 8t 32;

50th second light 2, l6 & 32;

59th second light 1, 2, 8, 16, & 32.

AM-PM register J is comprised of a J-K flip-flop that is set to changestate each time a count pulse is on line 55. If one of the two states isdefined as AM then the associated indicator will display AM, and theother state of the flip-flop and the associated indicator will displayPM.

Lights control switch L0 is a single pole single throw switch connectedin series with the 5 volts supplied to the indicators. When the switchis closed the operation is normal. When the switch is in the openposition the time keeping electronics works as normal but the indicatorsdo not illuminate.

Minutes counter CM is triggered once each minute by the sixtieth pulsecount of seconds counter CS, delivered as the output of that counter bythe output line 35. Counter CM includes first and second counter units40 and 41 and a decoder section comprising and gates 42 and 44, and anor gate 43, in an arrangement the same as that of seconds counter CS,the 60th count being delivered as an output of counter CM, through anoutput line 45, to the hours counter CH. The pulses counted by units 40,41 are delivered to minutes drivers DM through six control lines 49 tocontrol the bias on the driver elements so as to energize the minuteslights M in a succession the same as that of seconds lights S.

Hours counter CH utilizes a single counter unit.50, and? gates 52 and54, and an or gate 53, in an arrangement similar to that of counters CSand CM, co-

operatively controlling the hours drivers DH through four control lines59, to control the application of the 5 volt power supply to the lightsat +5. The twelfth hour counts of counter CH are delivered by an outputline 55 to register J.

In the operation of the register J, the lights AM will each remainenergized for a respective period of 12 hours, one light beingextinguished as the other is illuminated. Simultaneously with eachreversal of lights AM, PM, the hours counter CH will be reset andcommence a new period of twelve hours counting.

Manual setting circuit K comprises the nonnally closed push buttonswitches HA and MA, adapted to apply ground to and gates and 71 whichare connected in parallel to and" gate 20 of oscillator unit CC toreceive the control pulses of the oscillator. Gate 71 has a connection72 to or gate 33 of seconds counter CS so as to deliver such pulses tominutes counter CM through the output line 35 of counter CS, thuseffecting advance of the minutes time-keeping at the rate of 1 minute ofadvance in 1 second of acutal time. Similarly, gate 70 has a connection73 to or" gate 43 of minutes counter CM so as to transmit the controlpulses to hours counter CH by way of minutes counter output line 45, toefiect hours advance at the rate of one hour per second of actual time.During such operations, it is desirable to prevent transmission of thecontrol pulses through the normal time-keeping circuits. This isaccomplished by actuating start-stop switch SS to ground on and gate 74which disables the oscillator output line 29 so as to render its outputineffective to trigger the operation of seconds counter CS.-

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification of the invention in a chronometerreadable by a blind person. Instead of the visual indicator lights H, M,S, HA, MA, SS and LO, there is provided a corresponding series oftactile indicator plungers lP constituting the ends of the armatures ofsolenoids SP one of which is shown. Solenoids SP replace the lights S, Mand H in a circuit which is other wise the same as that shown in FIG. 3,including the drivers DS, DM and DH for energizing the solenoids ofseconds, minutes and hours groups respectively. The indicator plungers1P are exposed in the chronometer face B1 and are operable by thesolenoids SP so as to be projected for reading by the fingers of a blindperson, with the same succession of tactile indications as the visualindications of FIGS. 1-3.

As a further modifiction, the invention may provide for counting andindicating hours on a 1 to 24 count basis, as in maritime time-keeping,and eliminating the AM,PM counting and indication.

We claim:

1. A chronometer comprising:

a series of seconds indicators having assigned seconds values in a firstbinary counting sequence;

a series of minutes indicators having assigned minutes values in asecond binary counting sequence;

a series of hours indicators having assigned hours values in a thirdbinary counting sequence;

a source of do electric power for energizing said indicators;

a pulse generator producing an output of pulses of one-second intervals;

a seconds counter actuated by said generator output to count secondsfrom 1 to 60, said counter including means triggered by its 60th countsto deliver seconds output pulses at one-minute intervals;

a minutes counter actuated by said seconds output pulses at one-minuteintervals to count minutes from 1 to 60, said minutes counter includingmeans triggered by its 60th count to deliver minutes output pulses atone-hour intervals;

means controlled by said seconds and minutes counting to energize saidseconds and minutes indicators respectively in said binary countingsequences;

an hours counter triggered by said minutes output pulses to count hoursof the day, said hours counter including means triggered, by a terminalcount thereof for resetting its counting to a starting count;

means controlled by said hours counting to energize said hoursindicators;

said hours counts being restricted to a l to 12 count;

said resetting means being triggered by the twelfth hour count thereof;

a pair of AM, PM indicators;

and a flip-flop circuit triggered by each twelfth count of said hourscounter for energizing said AM, PM indicators in alternating succession.

2.,A chronometer as defined'in claim I:

said indicators being indicator lights for visible'readout.

3.'A chronometer as defined in claim 1:

.' 6. A chronometer as defined in claim 1:

said seconds and minutes indicators each having a series of assignedvalues of l, 2, 4, 8, l6 and 32 each and being energized in combinationsproviding binary readout in a numerical progression of indica tions ofnumbers -1 through 60.

7. A chronometer as defined in claim 1:

said hours indicators having assigned values of l, 2,

4', and 8 and being energized in combinations providing binary readoutin'a numericalprogression of indications of numbers representing hoursof time keeping.

1. A chronometer comprising: a series of seconds indicators havingassigned seconds values in a first binary counting sequence; a series ofminutes indicators having assigned minutes values in a second binarycounting sequence; a series of hours indicators having assigned hoursvalues in a third binary counting sequence; a source of dc electricpower for energizing said indicators; a pulse generator producing anoutput of pulses of one-second intervals; a seconds counter actuated bysaid generator output to count seconds from 1 to 60, said counterincluding means triggered by its 60th counts to deliver seconds outputpulses at one-minute intervals; a minutes counter actuated by saidseconds output pulses at oneminute intervals to count minutes from 1 to60, said minutes counter including means triggered by its 60th count todeliver minutes output pulses at one-hour intervals; means controlled bysaid seconds and minutes counting to energize said seconds and minutesindicators respectively in said binary counting sequences; an hourscounter triggered by said minutes output pulses to count hours of theday, said hours counter including means triggered by a terminal countthereof for resetting its counting to a starting count; means controlledby said hours counting to energize said hours indicators; said hourscounts being restricted to a 1 to 12 count; said resetting means beingtriggered by the twelfth hour count thereof; a pair of AM, PMindicators; and a flip-flop circuit triggered by each twelfth count ofsaid hours counter for energizing said AM, PM indicators in alternatingsuccession.
 2. A chronometer as defined in claim 1: said indicatorsbeing indicator lights for visible readout.
 3. A chronometer as definedin claim 1: said indicators comprising plungers for tactile sensing. 4.A chronometer as defined in claim 1: and rapid advance means for settingtime on said indicators, said rapid advance means comprising manualcontrol means for triggering said minutes and hours counting manually atan accelerated rate.
 5. A chronometer as defined in claim 1: and meansfor arresting the transmission of the counting pulses to said indicatorswithout arresting the counting operation.
 6. A chronometer as defined inclaim 1: said seconds and minutes indicators each having a series ofassigned values of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 each and being energized incombinations providing binary readout in a numerical progression ofindications of numbers 1 through
 60. 7. A chronometer as defined inclaim 1: said hours indicators having assigned values of 1, 2, 4, and 8and being energized in combinations providing binary readout in anumerical progression of indications of numbers representing hours oftime keeping.